Busch Gardens

We had a most enjoyable day at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Since rides are not really Emily's thing this is a park with so many other things to do that we hardly noticed the rides. We spent a lot of time going to each animal talk/show. We watched a cheetah run 40 miles an hour, elephants have "recess", hyenas (not cute) get fed, and our favorite watching the tigers have their lunch fed to them. At each event Emily always had a question for the animal expert. She was fascinated with how the animals got from their home...like in Africa.... to Busch Gardens!

 Emily took many photos that day

 Always nice to see old friends

 Emily loved playing in these rope mazes

 This was our favorite spot...The Tiger Pop Up! go under ground, climb up a ladder an you are in a glass enclosure in the middle of the tiger pen. This was really fun because one tiger was sleeping on top of the pop-up and one was right next to it!

 One of the only rides she went on

funny girl

Shark Teeth

We just returned from 5 glorious days in Venice, Florida. We were lucky enough to stay at Chateau VerPlanck for the week! One of the main activities on the beaches in Venice is to hunt for shark teeth. Jean purchased the proper "shark tooth hunting equipment" for us so we would have the most success. On our first day we were not quite sure what we were looking for until a nice woman came over and gave Emily about 20 teeth, and then our hunt was on. As you can imagine this type of activity is right up Rick's alley! I am not sure who loved it more, Rick or Emily?!

Anyway, Emily was obsessed with the shark teeth and could talk of little else the entire vacation. We purchased a container for the teeth and it went everywhere with us! We, or should I say Rick and Emily, found 257 teeth total!

Most of the shark teeth are supposedly millions of years old and some from a shark that is now extinct. 

 first day, not sure what they are looking for

 The shells on this beach are amazing, here Emily is sorting through them to find the teeth

 On the second day we purchased a (pink, of course) sifter. Rick would get the shells/teeth in the basket and then put them in the sifter for Emily to look through

 One of the best teeth

 This is what 257 shark teeth looks like

Grand Canyon Trip

This is another published book by Emily, written last November

Photo Shoot

Avery loves having her picture taken! after I took a few she asked to take more!

Webster Fest

Last night we attended Webster Fest at Webster School. This is a night where all the children's work is displayed and celebrated. At Webster one of their main programs is called Readers and Writers Workshop. The children begin writing books in the beginning of the year. Emily LOVES this part of the day (and most other parts too) mostly because it involves drawing and paining the illustrations for the books. The theme of the book below was A Winter Story which also had to have a solvable problem in it. I was thrilled to hear it was about skiing! The children paint/draw the illustrations first and then they "look at them, wait for the magic to happen and then write the words down before they forget!"

 our beloved Mrs. Duhaime and our student teacher Miss Barnard

 Emily's school BFF, Sienna 

Fun Meet

On Saturday Emily participated in her first gymnastics meet at the YMCA. It was just for fun, to show the younger girls what a real meet is like and why they are learning all the skills in class. I think it was an excellent idea. Emily liked it, but not so much all the waiting between events. Her best routine was the beam, which is scary to me!

Lover of Legos!

 Emily had some "treat money" and used it very wisely on a new Lego set. It is a very detailed house and she loved every minute of putting it together, 99%  by herself.

I have to say, I am amazed at the details in Legos. This house has a shower, with moving doors...a bed, sofas, a lawnmower, everything a Legos family could want!

Pogo Queen

For Easter Emily received a pogo stick. She is in LOVE with it. Her record was set today at 340 bounces in a row!